Nine Karbi militants were on Friday found killed, allegedly at the hands of the rival Dimasa tribe, in Tamulbari in Upper Assam, taking the toll in the current spell of ethnic violence to 86, police said in Diphu.

Police said a group of Karbi extremists, after torching 12 houses at Kakubasti and seven at Kisiri Bongaon villages in interior areas of a reserve forest on Thursday morning, was headed for Tamulbari. Dimasa guerillas ambushed them as they were about to enter Tamulbari and shot dead nine of them.

 Karbi violence: Why it happened

Five of the slain rebels were in uniform and had torches in their hands, police added.

Senior police officials rushed to the area and security measures were stepped up.

Meanwhile, the curfew and shoot-at-sight orders continued although prohibitory orders were relaxed for 12 hours from 6 AM on Friday morning.

Though markets and offices functioned normally, private and government schools remained closed as most of them had been converted into relief camps.